Drive tool for orthopedic screws
View Patent ↗A drive tool for accepting and rotationally locking the head portion of an orthopedic screw, such as a dental implant, to impart driving torque to the screw. In one exemplary embodiment, the drive tool includes an elongate body having an opening at its proximal end which is sized to receive the head portions of at least two different dental implants, the head portions of the dental implants being oriented at different angles with respect to the implant body portions. When the head portion of an implant is received within the opening, the drive tool is rotationally locked with respect to the implant. In this position, the body of the drive tool remains oriented so that same is substantially colinear with the body portion of the implant. Although the invention is described in the context of a drive tool used with a dental implant having a body portion and a head portion or abutment portion, the invention is more broadly applicable to drive tools which may be used with other types of orthopedic screws.
1. A drive tool for rotatably driving one of at least two dental implants, the dental implants having head portions divergent from one another, said drive tool comprising:
a body defining a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, a distal end, and a surface extending between the proximal end and the distal end;
a drive fitting at the distal end, the drive fitting comprising one of an internal and an external polygonal fitting;
a cavity for receiving one of the at least two dental implants, the cavity defined within the proximal end, the cavity comprising a wall defining a first cavity portion having a cross section extending collinearly with the longitudinal axis, the cavity further comprising a second cavity portion having a cross section extending at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the second cavity portion comprising an opening on the surface;
at least on flat driving surface in the first cavity portion for non-rotatably engaging one of the at least two dental implants;
a coronal wall at a coronal end of the first cavity portion extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis; and
an acute wall in the second cavity portion extending at an acute angle to the opening.
2. The drive tool of claim 1 , wherein the first cavity portion is configured to receive a dental implant with a straight head portion.
3. The drive tool of claim 2 , wherein the first cavity portion closely conforms to an outer profile of the straight head portion.
4. The drive tool of claim 2 , wherein the first cavity portion is arranged so that relative rotation of the dental implant and the body is substantially limited when the straight head portion of the dental implant is positioned in the first cavity portion.
5. The drive tool of claim 2 , wherein the straight head portion comprises an abutment portion.
6. The drive tool of claim 1 , wherein the second cavity portion is configured to receive a dental implant with an angled head portion.
7. The drive tool of claim 6 , wherein the second cavity portion closely conforms to an outer profile of the angled head portion.
8. The drive tool of claim 6 , wherein the second cavity portion is arranged so that relative rotation of the dental implant and the body is substantially limited when the angled head portion of the dental implant is positioned in the second cavity portion.
9. The drive tool of claim 6 , wherein the angled head portion comprises an abutment portion.
10. The drive tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flat driving surface in the first cavity portion comprises at least one pair of flat, opposing, parallel driving surfaces.
11. The drive tool of claim 1 , wherein the drive fitting comprises an internal polygonal fitting including six substantially flat walls that together define a hexagonal cross section.
12. The drive tool of claim 11 , wherein the internal polygonal fitting includes a broach relief formed therein.
13. The drive tool of claim 1 , wherein the drive fitting comprises an external polygonal fitting including four substantially flat walls that together define a square cross section.
14. The drive tool of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises an annular collar disposed adjacent to the drive fitting.
15. The drive tool of claim 14 , wherein the body further comprises an annular flange spaced from the annular collar, the annular flange and the annular collar defining sidewalls of an annular groove formed around at least a portion of the body.
16. The drive tool of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the annular flange and the annular collar includes a flat section configured to provide a visual indication when the drive tool is correctly aligned with one of the at least two dental implants.